Michael Kitt (Galway East, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I am pleased to have an opportunity to contribute on the Bill. The main issue is to implement the recommendations of the Constituency Commission report 2012.

The Bill provides for a reduction in the number of Deputies from 166 to 158. The measure must be examined in the context of local government reform. The reduction in the number of Deputies is small but it is proposed to significantly reduce the overall number of councillors. Following such changes, we will have one of the highest ratios of population to public representatives in the western world. It could be as high as one councillor per 4,000 of population. One could ask whether that is a good idea to introduce such a change at the same time as we are reducing the number of Deputies.

Many are concerned about the breach of county boundaries, which is most evident along the western seaboard. Many speakers have expressed delight at Leitrim being left as a single county. I agree with that. However, one must also examine the situation of Roscommon, which has had its county boundaries breached on a number of occasions. Every county in Connacht has been given a part of Roscommon at some stage.

See this speech in context